Thanks Come Again
by Beast of Bird Fowl
Summary: "Thanks come again." As soon as those sweet innocent words left your mouth you regretted them with a passion so great that the skin covering your arms shivered in goose bumps.


Bob-F: Hey peeps! I've been working on this thing for awhile now, but I'm not sure if I like where I took it.

Rath: I agree, though I can't say I'm disappointed.

BoB-F: Well I am, there was supposed to be smut in this but somehow that flew out the window.

Rath: Like I said, I'm not disappointed.

BoB-F: I am! Dante is a hot piece of Grade-A man and damn do I like some of that *bites lip*

Rath: -_-+ But Dante is an idiot.

BoB-F: Pardon? The man can surf on a launched rocket in mid-flight.

Rath: What does that have to do with anything?

BoB-F: Coolness factor?

Rath: ….. -_-+ I'm done talking to you.

BoB-F: o.o? What's wrong? *follows* Raath~

"Thanks come again." As soon as those sweet innocent words left your mouth you regretted them with a passion so great that the skin covering your arms shivered in goose bumps, and sitting behind you was the one patron that should never had heard them. You could practically _hear _him grinning from the effort of keeping his stupid overly sexy face shut.

"I didn't know you serviced your customers like that, how come I'm not on the VIP list?"

And the silence was broken. That unsullied beautiful silence was never more now that Dante had opened his maw. It was one thing to joke around with your coworkers about dirty stuff, who didn't like 'he said she said', 'yo momma', and 'buuurn' jokes. But it was a totally different story if it was a customer, a customer that enjoyed his flirting. If you were one to whine about your job, and you were, then you'd definitely be calling this situation 'unfair', because it was.

"Don't start." Was all you could muster to counter with, honestly if he had been anyone else you'd have led with 'he tips', or 'well, it wouldn't be fair to say _I_ serviced him'. But you couldn't because your supervisor was hovering around like a nosy fly, except the fly wasn't trying to get in Dante's pants. At least that's what you tell yourself; because there was no way that you were a coward in the face of a handsome man, not you.

At your disheartened reply Dante chuckled, that low sensual chuckle that had several of the girls that were eavesdropping giggling like canaries.

"I know you can do better than that, Babe." Dante smirked from his slouched position, he appeared shorter than you from where you stood and he looked up through dark lashes to pin you to your spot.

"Of course I can, but that's beside the point." You couldn't believe that he was trying to call you on your 'lack of performance'; it's called B. for a reason. With a sigh you rolled your eyes to your supervisor trying desperately to ignore the too beautiful man.

"Can I go clean the front?" You asked referring to the area with the bay windows, your manager couldn't have agreed fast enough. So without waiting for anyone to object or ask you to do something else you'd snagged a rag, cleaner, and then on your way to the front, a broom.

"Can you believe the way she just blew him off?" The younger girls harped while keeping their eyes on the silver haired man. You had another bout of eye rolling; you didn't know how many times you'd told those idiots that their voices traveled through the open kitchen/bar area to the equally open sitting areas, it was a wonder any of them knew their ass from their head; must be that whole eat with your mouth- shit from you ass thing that helped them out. Hopefully they would never see a certain South Park episode or they'd seriously be questioning their anatomy.

As you started spraying down the tables you heard the unmistakable sound of a stool swiveling and the hairs on the back of your neck stood on end. A quick glance through your lashes had your insides doing a somersault; Dante had turned in his seat, leaning against the bar behind him, _staring _at you.

How could things get any worse than some super-mega-awesome hottie staring at you? Now that's certainly not a bad thing considering, but when there's honestly nothing you could do to reciprocate his blatant stare-fest it was hard not to see the down-side. But it's not like you'd actually do anything with the hunk-a-hunk of burnin' man, no matter what you have said in regard to him.

Like that time you had told your friend that you would 'show him what a real woman could do'. In reality you were just a giant flirt with no substantial experience past second base, it was sad and yes you were also the biggest liar you knew, but that was the price you paid for wanting to appear cool. So when you were ever presented with the opportunity to be with someone, either sexually or just in a relationship you always hauled major ass in the other direction.

So with Dante's eyes on you it seemed like just desserts considering the amount of guilt you were feeling. Here was a heartbreaker of a man, with an obvious flirt going for you, and you were truly trying not to lead him on yet he was still waiting around _staring_ at you like a cat waiting for the cream. No pun intended, who were you kidding, of course the pun was intended.

Trying your best to ignore the sex-god across the way, you started wiping the tables down. When your eyes flickered up on instinct it was the best you could do to not let your face turn the shade of his coat; red. He was smirking again, though wider than the other times and you knew what he was so pleased about. You weren't like most girls; you weren't oblivious to the eyes of a man, nor his intentions, or his train of thought. Dante was watching your boobs sway and jiggle as you wiped down the tables and even if you turned your back to him he'd be just as pleased with your ass.

He knew that you had caught him, but it didn't phase his still growing smirk and damnit if it wasn't sexy. If you had caught any other guy, any other _man_ besides Dante you would have already made some sort of comment, be it snide or flirty, it often made you seem fearless but you knew it for what it was; deflection and you were damn good at it. But with Dante looking at you like that, you merely dunked your head and kept working; trying not to think of how hot he was making you by just _looking_.

And it just wasn't fucking fair.

It was sometime later that your place of employment was finally closing for the night and it couldn't have come at a better time seeing as how you were practically dead on your feet. The only down side to leaving was the fact that your car was in the shop getting the transmission rebuilt and you were going to have to hoof it back to your little duplex. The other down side was that your good _friend_ Dante was still chatting up the group of girls at the bar and you were the one that was going to have to run him off.

So collecting yourself and what was left of your patients you strode over with a no-nonsense frown marking up your face. As you were approaching the girls gave a collective _aww_ in disappointment causing Dante to swivel in his chair to face you. With his sudden smirking appearance you almost lost your nerve but with a particular aching reminder from your feet you barreled on.

"Are you running me out, babe?" Dante asked as he leisurely leaned back against the bar with his arms spread out and his long as hell legs were the same, as if inviting you to step between them and see where things went.

You ignored it, at least you pretended to.

"How'd you guess?" You asked smiling overly cheekily and cocking a hip like you did when your attitude got the better of you. There was no way that you were going to back down now; you had committed.

"I just had a feeling." There was a small pause where he darted his eyes to gesture to the obvious groupies fawning all over him in hushed tones.

"But if you go home with me I'll forgive you." Dante suggested which made the entourage clam up. You sighed outwardly, not even considering the option of skipping off to his place to fool around.

"As much as I appreciate the offer I'm dog-ass tired and who wants to see someone falling asleep half way through?" You countered smoothly, and moved to lean over the counter by his hand to retrieve your drink and secretly so you wouldn't have to look him in the eye. His fingers brushed your side; you suspected was on purpose and you knew he was watching you again.

"You wouldn't have the chance to fall asleep." Dante whispered just loud enough for you to hear. You pretended that you hadn't heard him, or felt him and instead smiled sheepishly at the girls.

"It's time to head out, and you, go home." You walked over to the door and checked that it was still locked and listened to the girls grumble about their plans for tomorrow. You waited just long enough by the door to hear Dante stand from his seat with the creaking of leather before you left via the self locking exit door located just next to the entrance.

With a prolonged sigh you faced the direction of your home and started to put feet to pavement. It's not like it was a long walk, but it was long enough for your tired state to be hoofing it home. You heard the swish of the exit door signaling that Dante had joined you on the sidewalk and his heavy boots told you that he was heading in your direction on long strides.

"Walking alone?" Dante asked from behind you. You shouldn't have said anything, you should have kept walking in silence and waited for him to get the message, whatever it was, but your giant mouth had a plan all its own.

"Should I get my rape-whistle or would you prefer mace?" You asked without turning to him. You frowned at your lie and you knew that Dante had picked up on it.

"Neither would be nice." Dante came to walk beside you and you could feel the warmth that radiated from him. You slid your eyes from his waist to his hair, which shone even brighter in the moonlight.

"Can I ask you something?" You began and tightened your jaw as you waited for him to answer, you couldn't help but watch his expression. His eyes had briefly flickered to you, but they quickly went back to the sidewalk before him.

"Sure, Babe, anything you like." Dante finally answered after the few horrible seconds of waiting, you thought for sure that he was going to make another dirty comment, had been trying to prepare for it in fact. It was a mild surprise that he had replied so demurely.

"Why are you so persistent toward me?" You asked unable to look at him this time, but you opened your mouth again before he could answer. "I mean, the looks you give me are rather obvious, but I barely give you the time of day." You finished by finally bringing your eyes up to meet his and his steel blue eyes were looking at nothing but you.

"You always surprise me."

Dante didn't elaborate and you didn't ask him to, silence followed after. It wasn't long until you parted ways, you still heading home and Dante; well you had no idea where he was going. You didn't ask him to stay and as you watched him walk away you had this sinking feeling in your gut that it would be the last time that you would ever see him.

Before he completely left your line of sight you turned away, it wasn't particularly painful to see him go but the disappointment in yourself was more than enough to make your chest ache. You were the master of self disappointment and it seemed Dante would just be another mark on you list of unfulfillment.

You couldn't bring yourself to cry; not yet.

~~~End~~~

BoB-F: Run after him you bitch! _

Rath: -_-+ Really? You're still hung up over that guy?

BoB-F: I wish he was hung up over me… o/o

Rath: -_-+++

Bob-F: o.o OH! I get it now! You're jealous ^_^

Rath: -_-++ I am not.

BoB-F: You totally are! That's so cute ^/^

Rath: Shut up! -_-++++++

BoB-F: Well, I'd say you shouldn't be…but…Dante just _does_ something to me.

Rath: O_O Has he touched you!

BoB-F: o_o; um, no…?

Rath: Are you lying?

BoB-F: No…?

Rath: What!

BoB-F: ^_^; Heh, there may be another installment for this fic, so see ya next time~!

Rath: Oi!


End file.
